Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Does your mind’s eye see the bucolic scene pictured on many a milk carton full of happy cows grazing around a red barn?

Or maybe the only farm you can picture is Fisher-Price’s version for kids.

I bet many of us will have no better luck when asked to describe a farmer. Even today, popular culture still portrays our farmers in bib front overalls and hayseed hats.

This is a sad state of affairs in my opinion. I wish we lived in a world where parents thought it as important to know the farmers who grow their child’s food as it is to know their child’s teacher.

Illinois Farm Families appears to agree. To start a dialogue and create understanding between family farmers and (mostly urban) moms who are feeding their families, they’ve launched a website, Watch it Grow, and are inviting city moms to become Field Moms as part of their Family-to-Family Farm tours.

Beginning this fall, Illinois Farm Families will bring a group of city moms out to meet farm families and tour their farms. This behind-the-scenes look will shed light on how the Illinois farmers in the program grow the food and care for the animals eat and what steps they’re taking to protect the earth.

You can learn more tomorrow when Illinos Farm Families will be at the Daley Plaza Farmers' Market or you could join us on Wednesday August 17, 8pm central for a Twitter chat, hashtag #fieldmoms.

If you have questions about becoming a Field Mom, call 1-800-647-7294 or email info@watchusgrow.org. You can also subscribe through the Watch it Grow site follow Field Moms on their farm tours.